Joel -si alding



UNrrnn STAWENT formen MACHINE .FOR FOLDING AND IMEASURING CLOTH.

Specification of `Letters Patent No. 2,230, dated August 28, .1841.

to the accompanying drawings which, taken in connection herewith, form my specification.

In said specification I have set forth the principles of my invention, b-y which it may be distinguished from `others of a Vsimilar character, together with such `parts or combinations as I claim, and for which 1 solicit- `an exclusive .property to be secured to me for fourteen .years by yLetters Patent.

My.1nacliineryis representedfby Figure l, which is a side elevation; Fig. 2, which `is anend view; Fig. 3, which 1s a `vertical and longitudinal section, and Fig. 4, which `is a `top view.

v'The frame, `on which `the working parts of themachmery are supported,.consists of a thick plank or bed piece A, 1n which four posts B, B, B, B, are erected perpendicularly; the two opposite on each side of the machine being connected together-near their tops by `the `horizontal cross ties C, C, and on each end of the machine bythe cross ties D, D. Two beams or bars E, E, resting against the inner faces of the tops of the posts, extend from one of the yties .D `tothe opposite and are bolted downi-oriotherwise properly secured uponithe same, and at each end of the machine two vibrating bars F, F, (hung at their tops upon a cross rod or shaft G extending from one of the bars E to the opposite), depend and are tenoned into a horizontal cross bar H. To the inner side of each of the cross bars H, a folding board I is hinged, and from thence extends, with a downward inclination, toward the center of the machine, and in its cross section it is pointed or has the shape denoted in Fig. 3. The upper face of each of said boards is covered with a curved plate of iron K, the said plate extending from the angular' edge of the board, near the center of the machine, to some distance back therefrom as seen in Figs. 3, 4. The hinged boards I, at their pointed or lowest ends, rest upon the upper surface of the bed piece A.

The opposite bars F, on each side are connected together, at some distance below their pointsof suspensiomby a bar .,L, vFigs. 3, il, extending 1from one to ltheother and connected -to each-by a vvertical `hinge joint M, Fig. 3. .A top viewof this hinge joint .is `represented .in Fig. It is connected to each yof the depending bars F by a. long screw N, which extends from the rearof the joint :through the bar F, lor a cylindrical Ehole formed through itandis secured there- .to,by twoscrew nuts-O, O, oneof -which is placed infront ofthe depending bar; and -theother in rear seen in the drawings. The screws and `nuts serve :to lregulate the rdistance of the horizontal `bars `H from each other.

A lmetallic .bar P extends across the Ymachine from` each-ofthe -poststo theopposite, the positionof-each bar being represented in section in Fig. rlhe lower edge-of the bar, 'whichis formed somewhat like a .knife edge, :rests upon the upper surface of the bedpiece A. The twoendsofeach bar pass through perpendicular slots yformed through the partsof the frame, and are pressed or forced down bya spring Q,.Figs. 1,2, et, act- .ing upon the tops of perpendicular standards R, R, extending upward :from the ends of the bars vP `in the sideof each post as seen `in Figs. l, il. A. side elevation of one ofthe bars P `is shown by Fig. '6, in `which it will be perceived that a portion ofeach end,-.that passes -throughithe posts B, B, is

-cut away onthe lower sideas seen at a, l),

c, sov as-to permita lever S, Figs. :1, 3,- 6, restingion the upper surface ofthe bed piece A, to pass under the portion a b of the end of `the bar P. There are four of these levers,

one being applied to each post, with its fulcrum T, Fig. 3, at one end. rThe other end of each lever is bent up, as seen in side elevation at U, Fig. 3, and is otherwise formed with a portion (l projecting on one side (or that which is next the folding board) as seen in Fig. 7, the said projecting portion extending back nearly to the end of the folding board.. At each end of each folding board, a small iron inclined plane, stud or lifter V, Figs. l, 7, is' attached, the operation of which will be hereinafter explained.

The depending bars and folding boards are to have a vibratory or reciprocating rectilinear motion given them in a longitudinal direction, by any suitable machinery or in any convenient manner and this being understood, the operation of the machinery may be thus explained.

The cloth to be folded is wound upon a roller or drum W, extending across the top of the machine-or may be introduced to the machine in any other' way, which .will answer the purpose. From thence it passes downward, between the two edges of the folding boards, in contiguity, and is drawn under one ofthe same a sufficient distance, so that its end may be passed under the holding bar P and confined down upon the board A. The machine is now prepared to operate. rIhe folding board under which the cloth is passed, as well as the other, is now advanced forward upon the cloth, so as to unwind the same from the drum IV and lay or spread it over the top surface of the board A. As the folding board advances the lifters V pass under the projections d, cl, of the levers S, which are attached to that end of the machine toward which the folding boards are moving, and raise upward said ends of said levers and consequently the cross holding or retaining bar P under which the angular edge of the folding board passes a short distance. Now the moment the angular edge of the folding board passes under the edge of the retaining bar, the lifters V pass by the levers S, S, and permit them and the retaining bar to be forced down by the spring Q. As the retaining bar is depressed it falls upon the cloth on or near the edge of the folding board, which latter, immediately receding, leaves the cloth folded or lapped with the edge of the fold confined to the board A under the holder I). As the first mentioned folding board recedes, the opposite advances in the same direction, and presses or spreads more of the cloth down upon the cloth first spread, which is folded andconned under the opposite retaining bar in the manner as described with regard to the first, so that as the spreading and folding machinery advances and recedes, the cloth is regularly spread and folded on the board A or on itself until the whole piece is drawn from the drum on which it is wound.

In order that the folding boards may not obstruct the operation of the retaining bars, as each of the former recedes after having spread the cloth, the underside of it comes in contact with the surface of a horizontal cylinder or roller X Fig. 3, which causes the folding board to rise upward, (its hinges permitting the same), so as to entirely clear the retaining bar. As the machinery may be so constructed that the cloth may be laid in regular folds of one yard in length, the number of these folds will indicate the number of yards in the piece, and if a small counter is applied to the machine in any convenient manner, the precise number of folds may at once be read off by the attendant, and thus the machine serves to measure as well as to fold the cloth.

Having thus described my invention I shall claim- Spreading and folding the cloth upon thel surface of the table or bed piece in regular layers of equal lengths as herein explained, by means of the above described arrangement of folding boards (having a reciprocating motion), in combination with the retaining bars, operated by said folding boards, through the intervention of the lifters and levers, the whole. being constructed substantially in manner as above set forth.

In testimony that the foregoing is a true description of my said invention and improvement I have hereto set my signature this sixth day of July in the year eighteen hundred and forty one.

JOEL SPALDING.

lvitnesses AARON F. SAWYER,

A. IV. SAWYER. 

